Me and My Brothers
by shinju-kun
Summary: I have two wonderful older brothers who take such good care of me. They answer any questions I have, help me through my problems, and always find a way to make me smile. They're the most popular people I know in the school and I love them so but, why does my heart feel heavy?


Whenever there's a family of three siblings, there's always one who's the youngest, and that happens to be me. I am three years apart from my eldest brother, Ike, and only one year apart from the second eldest, Celice. My brothers are really cool; I have always looked up to them and admired their popularity in school. We three were well known in the school, simply because everyone could tell we were siblings, and because Ike was a star at baseball for all four years of high school. Celice was well-known for his wonderful streak at fencing-he never lost, and his movements were graceful. They both had many friends and many fans, but the good thing was they never let popularity overcome them. They were always very kind to me and would always ask me to come with them to a group outing.

They both had so much and yet, I felt as though I had nothing. Sure, I was a sophomore and there were plenty of things for me to do, but I just couldn't find that one thing that would make me stand out like them. I don't even really have my own name, it's always "Ike's or Celice's little brother" and it saddened me. I had my own small group of friends but the conversation always drifted to my brothers.

One particular morning I woke up with a heavy chest and even though I wanted nothing more than to hide my face in my pillow to relieve it, I overslept and Ike had knocked on my door, reminding me I need to rise and shine. I was normally the first one awake and had breakfast made by the time they woke up but I didn't have time for that as I threw on my clothes and hopped downstairs.

"Hey, Marth! First you sleep in, no breakfast, and now you expect to go to school like that?" Celice teased as I was putting my shoes on.

I gave him a confused look and he tightened my tie, brushing down my hair do I looked presentable. "Ah, thank you," I said softly, taking the toast he offered me.

"You're my little brother so I gotta watch out for you right? Come on, we'll be late!"

I couldn't help but let a small smile come to my face. Our mother passed away when I was very young due to illness and our father was always working so I looked up to my brothers to take care of me, which they did wonderfully. When I was in junior high, I was bullied quite often due to my quiet nature and the older kids took advantage of that. One day I had an all-too noticeable bruise on my cheek and my brothers were furious. I didn't want them to start trouble so they would be hurt but they demanded I show them who hurt me, and they forced them to apologize to me by twisting their arms back and holding them down to the ground. I will admit I was a bit frightened at having seen them so angry, but Celice calmed me down after seeing the fear in my eyes.

I was never bothered again after that.

I followed him out into Ike's car and climbed in the back seat, flinching at the time. We had 10 minutes to get to school on time. "I don't think we'll make it on time..." I said softly and Celice looked back at me with a bright smile.

"Just hang on to something and we'll get there on time, okay?"

I gave the same small smile. "Alright."

His smile faded and he opened his mouth to say something but he had to sit forward when Ike started driving. Had he seen my eyes again? My heart was beginning to have that same heaviness from before and I gave a quiet sigh to relieve a small portion of it, looking out the window as everything flew by. Maybe this sadness was beginning to take a toll on me, and it was beginning to flow over. Tears were beginning to line my eyes and I had to close them and swallow hard to keep them from flowing over.

'I wish I was cool like my brothers,' the thought freely flowed through my head, and I quickly wiped my cheek when a tear escaped.

We made it to school on time, thankfully, and I gave a relieved sigh as I seated myself, my friend Pit coming over to lean on my desk.

"Hey, why so glum?"

I sighed as he saw right through me once again. How does he do that?

"If you have siblings you would understand," I merely said, resting my chin on my palm and looking out the window I was seated at.

He moved in my line of sight and sat on my desk, hugging my neck. I felt this dam behind my eyes would break at any moment. I hugged him back and swallowed hard, his hand rubbing my back. "It's okay, Marth. Whatever it is, I'm sure you can talk to your brothers about it. They love you very much, I can tell."

I merely nodded, my throat closed with a lump.

The teacher came in then and Pit's warmth left me as the class started. I couldn't pay attention during class as this constant depression was beginning to engulf me, daring my will to snap and I would break down in the middle of class. I just wanted to hide, or go back to my bed where no one would see me. What would I accomplish today anyway? I would only receive quick greetings or a girl would stop me to ask how to get close to one of my brothers. I felt my head lowering until they were hiding in my folded arms but I didn't realize how long I had been like this until I felt a book gently thump the back of my head.

I quickly snapped my head up and the teacher gave me a smile. "Marth, I realize you are tired, but just because you are the sibling of Celice, I will not let you doze off."

"Sorry, Sensei," I said, bowing my head.

My teacher was also Celice's teacher at some point, and he was notorious for never paying attention in the class, but he always got by somehow.

As he continued the lesson, Pit turned around and gave me a look, searching my face for something. I forced my face to an embarrassed smile and said, "I didn't sleep well last night." He didn't seem convinced but turned around to pay attention, and my smile instantly faded, the dark cloud once again covering me. I gave another quiet sigh to control myself.

After class I quickly immersed myself in the sea of classmates, hoping to avoid my friends' questioning of why I had 'dozed off' during class. As I made my way to the next period, I looked over and saw Celice with his friends. They all looked so cool. Celice made eye contact with me, and called me over, but I couldn't move my feet towards him. Instead, I looked away and made my way downstairs to my next class; just seeing him made me feel sad inside.

I heard him calling my name but I pretended not to hear as I once again blended in with the sea of people making their way to their next class. I wouldn't normally ignore my brothers of they called me, but I didn't want to talk to anyone right now.

With each passing class, it began to feel more and more the same, just sitting there, a black cloud of depression looming over me along with the negative thoughts floating in my head. Only a small, quiet sigh could help for a small while.

During lunch I made sure to avoid everyone, finding a small corner in a hallway no one used to hide. I pulled up my knees to my chest, resting my chin on my arms as my eyes grew heavy with water. I didn't get my lunch, but I wasn't so hungry anyway...

I gave a soft sigh as I allowed the thoughts to flow in once again. Why did I have to be the youngest? The frailest? The smallest? Why couldn't I have something about me that stood out like my brothers did? With every thought that flowed by, more and more water flowed out as well, but I stopped and froze when I heard footsteps. They were getting closer and I wiped my face, trying to press myself deeper into the corner so I wouldn't be seen.

To no avail, I bit my cheek as Roy spotted me, coming over to seat himself next to me.

"So I heard you dozed off in class today," he said, opening his lunch.

I sighed. "Something of the sort." I muttered with a strained voice. It was unusual for me to sleep in class. I was one of the top students and I always payed diligent attention to the lessons.

"Everyone's saying how you're not quite yourself today. Even Celice said you avoided him, and he and Ike are looking for you. Why don't you go talk to them?" he talked to me as he ate, and I found it quite amusing that I could comprehend him.

"I just...I feel like a shadow," I said, lowering my head into my arms.

"To your brothers." It wasn't a question.

The smell of his lunch was beginning to make me hungry...

"I feel like they have something that defines them, and yet I lack that same thing."

After a moment of him eating he said, poking me with his chopsticks, "Don't be like that. You have lots of things. You're the smartest kid in all of our classes, you've got good looks, a body everyone would kill for, you've got a smile that brightens up everyone's day, a very sweet disposition, and you're talented with that voice of yours, and you play the piano just finely."

I looked up at him in shock. "How did you...?"

"When you stay after school and you use the music room, I can't help but feel like I've been caught in a trance while watching you play. The melodies that you conjure along with your sweet voice could make anyone melt if they heard you. Everyone else may be gone, but, I'm your friend and I know what you like, and you've eyed that piano for quite some time."

I couldn't help but let more tears fall. Roy really knew that about me? It was true, I thought that when I was alone to enjoy myself with the beautiful piano, but I guess not...

I felt my cheeks warm up when my stomach released a rather angry rumble.

He chuckled and handed his food to me with a smile. "Dad packed a little too much for me anyway. Eat up."

"Thanks, Roy." I said, cleaning off the bento.

"Why don't you go talk to Celice and Ike? I'm sure they're still looking for you, worried."

"Mn, maybe later. How did you know I was down here?"

He shrugged. "I needed to ask Sensei a question and I saw you practically dragging yourself away so I knew something was wrong."

I handed his bento back and I rested my cheek on his head. "Thanks," I said softly and he wrapped an arm around me, leaning into me.

"It's no problem, Marth. You're like my own brother and I hate to see you sad."

The bell signaled us that lunch was over.

For my last few classes I did feel better, but I felt as though that cloud was still behind me. I got most of it off of my chest with Roy, so why did I still feel sad? I gave another small sigh, the last bell of the day ringing a bit louder than usual. As I packed my things, and trudged out, my arms were caught and looped through none other than my brothers' and they weren't going to let me go.

"Hey, there, let's talk." Celice said, and I felt like I was being abducted as they practically dragged me off.

They sat me down in the music room and sat in front of me, and I felt just slightly uncomfortable. I always felt uncomfortable when I was the center of my brothers' attention for some reason.

"Marth, please tell us what's wrong, you've been acting off today."

I looked down to avoid their stares and I fisted my hands in my lap. Roy's and Pit's words ran through my head, "Why don't you go talk to them?"

Celice tilted my chin up and I couldn't help but let the dam break once again, throwing myself into his arms. I sobbed quietly into his shoulder and clung to his shirt.

"Shh, shh, it's alright," he cooed, rubbing my back with Ike.

"I...I don't feel like my own person...everyone always knows me because you're my brothers but no one ever calls me by my name, and you're both so cool but I feel like I don't have any talent and that I can't live up to be like you two," I sobbed, wiping my face on his shirt.

Celice gave me a loving squeeze. "Marth, I...I had no idea you felt that way. I'm so sorry..."

I shook my head and clung to him almost desperately, my body beginning to shake uncontrollably from the sobs. I don't think I've ever let my brothers see my cry so much. It was just a tad bit embarrassing since I still felt like a helpless little brother, but Celice's warmth and kindness was all I needed right now. He always seemed to know what I needed to make me feel better, and I had grown especially attached to him. Ike and I were just as close, but whenever Celice wasn't around, Ike was doing his homework and I didn't want to disturb him.

After I finally calmed down I pulled away, rubbing the water away from my eyes and face.

"Are you feeling better? Your eyes look all swollen..." he said, wiping the corner of my eye with his thumb.

"Yes, I'm sorry..." I was apologizing for feeling like a burden.

"No, no, don't apologize, Marth. It's better to cry than to hold it all in."

I nodded but looked around. Where did Ike go?

"He'll be back. He went to get something to cheer you up." He smiled and opened his phone to text something before standing up with me. "Come on, let's make your eyes less puffy. Such a beautiful face needs to be presentable!"

He held my hand tightly as he led me to the bathroom, and along the way there were thankfully no people around. Once we got inside, Celice checked all the stalls before locking the door and wetting a paper towel.

"...Onii-chan, won't people think you have a little brother complex?" I asked softly, moving closer to him and closing my eyes as he wiped them in circles.

"Then let them think, otouto, right now you need my and Ike's help so that's what you're getting."

After he massaged my eyes I opened them and they indeed felt less heavier than before. I watched as he admired his work. "Well, still not perfect, but no one will notice it."

I nodded and hugged his torso, resting my head against his chest. "Arigatou, onii-chan..."

"It's no problem, Marth," he said softly, rubbing the back of my head.

There was a knock at the door and neither of us said anything but I smiled when I heard Ike's voice. "It's me."

"It's about time you got here! Where have you been?" Celice huffed, opening the door and Ike had a bag slung over his shoulder.

"Well, this lady gave me a difficult time at the store while I was getting the stuff so don't blame me," he said, making Celice step aside as he approached me.

I was a good half foot shorter than Ike and I hugged him tightly as well since Ike's hugs always felt like a big bear.

"I'll go get our stuff," Celice said and I closed my eyes when Ike rubbed my head, murmuring, "I wish you weren't so busy..."

"With school?" he asked, setting the bag down in the sink next to us.

I nodded. "I want to come talk to you sometimes when I'm feeling down but you look so busy that I don't want you to stop just for me." I squeezed him and he tilted my head back, smiling warmly at me.

"Marth, don't ever feel like you're pestering me. If you need something then I'll take my time to talk to you. You're my little brother and when dad and Celice aren't around I want to take care of you too. To be honest," I watched as he looked away, rubbing the back of his head, "I wish you would come to me more than Celice sometimes. I don't want to feel like the useless older brother, y'know."

I couldn't help but let a big smile come to my face and I giggled, burying my face into his chest. "Thank you, Ike. I'll remember that." I couldn't help but suddenly feel giggly. Ike really felt that way? I thought about every time I needed comfort I was always going to Celice. Had Ike always seen?

"Hey, hey, bonding without me? I am hurt!"

I smiled and only held Ike tighter. "Ike needs love too!" I then yelped as I was slung over his shoulder, and he picked up the bag, exiting the bathroom.

"No, no that's not fair! Marth is mine, Ike!" Celice whined, following suit.

I felt slightly embarrassed as Ike had a hand on my lower back to keep me from falling, but the fact that my butt was the first thing everyone would see if they saw us.

"I want him now. You have him too often," he said and Celice grabbed my hand, trying to pull me off his shoulder.

"He needs me, Ike! You have to drive us home anyway so give him back!"

I made a small noise as he succeeded and he held me close to him, trying to walk off but Ike wasn't going to let that happen. He grabbed underneath my arm and pulled me towards him, Celice still clinging to me other arm. "I'm not going to give him to you today." Ike said.

"It's just for today, you can have him tomorrow!"

As they argued and pulled back and forth between them, I remember a similar situation happening in grade school. They were arguing about whose team I would be on, but Celice began crying so I comforted him and told him I would be on his team. I couldn't help but smile and I saw a couple girls come up to us and ask if they could talk to Celice. He opened his mouth to say something, but Ike said, pulling me against him and out of Celice's grip, saying with a smirk, "You wouldn't want to ignore them now would you, Celice? Don't worry, I'll take good care of Marth, and if you need a ride home, I'll come back, alright? See ya."

I made a small noise as I was slung over his shoulder once again, waving and saying goodbye to Celice in a sweet voice as we made our departure. Once we got to the car, Ike set me down and I climbed into the passenger's seat, Ike setting the plastic bag on my lap and revealing a variety of snacks I loved. "There's so many!" I smiled, Ike getting in and starting the car.

"I at least know what you like, and that's a lot of sweets. I hope these are alright."

I sifted through them and there were so many packets of Pocky in different flavors and chocolate wafers and other strawberry treats. "This is perfect! Everything I like! Thank you, Ike!" I put the bag by me feet and reached over to hug his neck before sitting back down to indulge myself.

"Hey, Marth."

While I was nibbling on a stick of strawberry Pocky, I turned my head and made a small noise of surprise as Ike ate most of the stick, our noses brushing against each other's.

"Hey! I thought you said these were mine!" I whined, huffing as he pulled out of the school.

"Haven't had one in a while, so why not?" he chuckled and I huffed, looking the other way as I munched on another.

Once we got home, I looked at the time that read five at night. "Should I start dinner? Celice won't be home for a while, right?"

"Do you want me to help?" he offered.

"Do you cook?" I asked, kicking off my shoes before I stepped into the kitchen, putting on mom's apron and her headband that she wore on her head when she cooked.

"A little. I've always watched you cook. You can just tell me what to do."

I smiled and nodded. "Alright."

After dinner was ready, I served both Ike and I, leaving the rest in the pan for Celice and Father later. Today I cooked a sukiyaki bowl, which consisted of shredded pork, green and red onions, and of course, rice.

"I can never get over how amazing your cooking is. Tastes just like Mom's!" he said, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm glad you like it. I always used to watch Mother cook and she always told me that we need to have full meals like this so when she passed, I wanted a part of Mother to live on with us." I explained, remembering I would sit on a stool next to her while she made our meals.

"Well I gotta tell ya, you're an amazing cook."

"Thank you." I couldn't help but smile at him.

Ike helped me clean up and I was going to return to my room when Ike gently caught my wrist, making me look back at him. "Why don't you come to my room for homework? I'm sure there's something I can help you with if you need it."

I smiled. Ike knew better than I that I could do both his and my homework in no time flat, but I could tell he was being kind to me. "Okay." I went into his room and sat on his bed, taking out my homework while he sat at his desk.

There wasn't much to do tonight and after I finished, I laid on his bed, watching him do his own work. Ike looked so cool when he was engrossed in something. Then again, Ike always looked so cool doing...well, everything. I soon felt my eyelids grow heavy but I tried to keep them open, and I jumped when Ike looked at me.

"Sleepy?"

I nodded but said softly, "I...wanted to stay awake..."

He chuckled and stood, placing me under his covers. "it's fine, just you being here is enough for me."

I smiled and closed my eyes, whispering, "Thank you, Ike."

"It's no problem, Marth. Sleep well." He rubbed the top of my head before returning to his desk, and continuing his work.

I turned over on my stomach and nuzzled into Ike's pillow, drifting off, my heart filled with a bubble of love.

~*Owari*~


End file.
